Fort Hood shooter offers no defense

The trial of Major Nidal Hasan in the United States. Hasan, the US Army officer on trial for killing 13 people at a Texas military base in 2009, rested his case on Wednesday after calling no witnesses and offering no defense.

The US Army officer on trial for killing 13 people at a Texas military base in 2009 rested his case on Wednesday after calling no witnesses and offering no defense.

Major Nidal Malik Hasan could face execution if convicted of 45 charges of premeditated murder and attempted premeditated murder in the November 2009 mass shooting at Fort Hood.

The 42-year-old psychiatrist, who is defending himself at his court martial, told the judge: "The defense rests."

He made no further statements in the presence of a jury of Army officers detailed to the case in the small military court.

Hasan has not questioned witnesses nor objected to any of the extensive evidence the prosecution offered.

Instead, in a previous hearing, he had declared that he was the shooter.

Court appointed defense lawyers have complained that he appears to be seeking the death penalty, but the trial went ahead and the jury is expected to shortly retire to consider its verdict.

A team of military prosecutors have for the past two weeks questioned 89 witnesses. Many were victims in the shooting and identified Hasan as the attacker.